For Keeps
by athenanoctea
Summary: He was always so good with her and in these moments, Kara felt a part of a family. It reaffirmed her feelings for Apollo every time she saw him with her.


**Title**: For Keeps (1/1)  
**Author**: carpenyx  
**Rating**: PG  
**Characters/Pairings**: Kara/Lee, Kacey  
**Genre**: Romance/Fluff  
**Summary**: He was always so good with her and in these moments, Kara felt a part of a family. It reaffirmed her feelings for Apollo every time she saw him with her.  
**Spoilers**: Very minor season 3 spoilers, takes place in future AU 3rd season.  
**Word Count:** 1,834  
**Disclaimer**: I do not own, just playing on the Galactica with my pilots. No copyright infridgement intended.

**Date**: 2/13/07

**For Keeps **

It had been anything but simple the last couple of months. Amidst the normal chaos of everyday life aboard the Galactica, there had been two divorces and an accident that changed Kara Thrace's life in ways she hadn't anticipated.

Kara had become an ex-wife to Samuel T. Anders and the adoptive mother of Kacey Brynn. Lee divorced Dee but made no attempt to start anything with Kara. He decided that taking a break would be good. Not knowing where things stood with Lee left Kara in a freefall. Luckily, much of her time was spent with Kacey – she had been the light in all the darkness.

"Kaa-waa," she chanted excitedly as she wrapped her small hand around Kara's finger. Kacey, who possessed an uncanny strength for her age, yanked forcefully on her finger. The little runt continued to relentlessly tug with all her might and tried to distract Kara from her class.

It'd been a last minute change in schedules that required Kara to bring Kacey. She thought it'd be better to have the nuggets work in groups as she supervised since her time was being monopolized by the persistent little girl.

"Kacey," Kara warned, her tone stern, as her focus remained on the pilots-in-training.

In an attempt to test Kara's patience, Kacey scrunched her face and stuck out her tongue.

"Freshman, what the _frak_ was that?" She shouted at the nugget, who got his call sign from being a hygiene enthusiast; fell out of his chair having dozed off during class.

"'Rak! 'Rak!" Kacey repeated Kara's words. "'Rak! 'Rak!" Kacey giggled as she still held onto Kara's finger.

"Frak," Kara muttered under her breath. She knelt down to eye-level with Kacey. "We don't say that word, Kacey. It's a very bad word."

"'Rak! 'Rak!"

"Captain!" The voice of one Lee Adama echoed throughout the classroom.

Kara stood to her full height, scooting Kacey behind her a little as she looked at Lee. She lifted her hand to salute her superior asshole of an officer with a smug smirk on her face.

"At ease," he ordered her with a wink. "You might want to look into washing that mouth of yours out with soap and water, Captain."

Kace finally released Kara's finger and skipped over to Lee. She wrapped her arms around his thigh, holding on tightly. ""Ee! 'Ee!"

"You might want to look into pulling that stick out of your-" Kara muttered under her breath, catching herself as she watched Lee scoop the young girl up into his arms.

"Careful," he cautioned Kara.

"Vroom! Vroom!" Kacey poked Lee's chest. "Vroom-vroom?"

Lee chuckled as he lifted Kacey up over his head, supporting her waist with his hands. He spun her around, making loud vroom sounds – a favorite game of Kacey's as of late. The little girl giggled and hoorayed as he continued to play the vroom game with her.

Kara watched Lee with Kacey; it always stunned her how wonderful he was with her and how content he appeared. Just watching them both smiling and genuinely happy made Kara's heart melt, but she'd never admit that openly to him. He was always so good with her and in these moments, Kara felt a part of a family. It reaffirmed her feelings for Apollo every time she saw him with her.

Once Lee got tired of spinning the little girl around, he lowered her down toward the ground. "Coming in for a final landing!" With more vroom-vroom sounds, he carefully placed Kacey down. "I've got something for you, Kacey."

"You do?" She squealed happily.

"Yeah." Lee reached into his pocket and pulled out a handcrafted miniature Viper. He handed it to Kacey. "Just like what Kara flies."

Kacey's eyes widened with keenness as she carefully took the small Viper into her hand. "For keeps?"

Lee grinned. "For keeps."

Kacey giggled before running back over to Kara. "Can 'Ee come home with Kaa-waa and Key-ceeee for food!"

"Oh, I don't know, Kacey. Lee is very busy-"

"I'd love too, Kacey." Lee shot Kara look before smiling down at Kacey.

"Vroom-vroom 'Ee come with us!" Kacey hopped around both Kara and Lee gleefully.

Kara, sometimes, wondered if the little runt had a never-ending supply of energy.

"So, I guess dinner it is 'Vroom-vroom-Lee'," Kara said as she looked at Lee, a grin on her face.

"You aren't cooking, are you?" Lee smirked.

"Frak you." Kara stuck her tongue out at Lee.

"'Rak!" Kacey picked up the word again.

Kara clenched her teeth and sighed at her own stupidity for saying it again. She took Kacey's hand into hers. "C'mon, Kacey."

Lee couldn't help but grin broadly, as he watched them leave – he'd follow them later.

oooooooooooo

It hadn't been easy staying away from Kara the last couple of months since his divorce, but he wanted to do things the right way. He didn't want to jump in a relationship with Kara on the rebound, and he didn't want to be her rebound either. In spite of their complicated relationship, he always found a way to spend some time with her, whether it was work shifts or spending time with her and Kacey.

Lee had been doubtful if either of them were in the right place for a relationship but when he saw Kara with that little girl - he was always reminded of how much he truly loved her and how good together they could be.

Lee headed down the corridor, on his way to dinner with two of his favorite women. Tonight would be different. After spending months finding himself he found himself right back where he started – still loving and wanting to spend his life with Kara. He was ready to move forward and let go of his uncertainties. Tonight he'd tell her how he really felt.

Lee rapped his fist against the hatch door.

"Come in," came Kara's voice from inside.

Lee pulled the hatch door open only to be greeted by the jubilant toddler. Kacey threw her tiny arms around Lee's legs, embracing him tightly. Lee chuckled as he ruffled his hand in her blond tresses. "Hey squirt."

"Key-ceee! Not 'quirt!" Kacey explained to the grown-up as she let go of him.

"Sorry," he told her with a big smile and ruffled her hair again. "Hey…" he said softly, looking over at Kara. Her natural beauty floored him. Her haunting green eyes possessed so much and that smile of hers, like a Cheshire cat, concealed secrets only she knew. It made his heart race when he wondered if he'd ever discover all of them.

"Hey," she replied as she gestured for him to join them at the table. "And no, I didn't cook."

Lee smirked.

"This meal is courtesy of Helo's culinary skills." Kara couldn't help but grin a little.

"I knew he was good for something," Lee said jokingly.

"Uncle Hel'lo makes yums!" Kacey climbed up onto one of the chairs and pulled the cloth napkin onto her lap.

"He-lo," Kara pronounced, looking at Kacey.

"Helo," Kacey repeated eagerly.

"Very good," Kara smiled proudly as she patted Kacey on the shoulder.

Lee joined Kacey, sitting down next to her and watched as Kara sat across from both of them. "Think you could get her to say 'Lee'?"

"That's stretching it," Kara commented.

"'Ee! 'Ee!"

"Lee."

""Ee."

"We're working on it." Kara grinned and laughed.

oooooooooooooo

"That was a very good meal," Lee commented as he leaned back in the chair. He patted his stomach, winking at Kacey who followed his lead.

Kara laughed as she watched both of them. "I think it's time for bed, Kacey."

"But no!" Kacey whined as she straightened up and frowned. "I wanna stay with 'Ee."

"It's way past your bedtime," she explained to her softly.

"'Ee tell me a bedtime story!"

Kara looked at Lee and smirked. "Yes, 'Ee! Tells us a bedtime story!"

Kacey giggled.

"Oh, I see how it is… two against one, those odds aren't very fair." Lee grinned as he stood up from the chair and scooped Kacey up into his arms. He carried her over to her bunk and set her down carefully. Kacey hurried under the covers and watched Lee expectantly as he sat next to her.

Kara joined them, curling up by Kacey's side.

Lee cleared his throat a little. "Once upon a time there was a little princess; she had the prettiest green eyes and blond hair…" Lee started, stealing a glimpse of Kara. "She'd dream big… wanting to travel through the stars… she'd spend her nights stargazing for hours and hours. She was extremely stubborn and wouldn't let anything or anyone stand in the way of her dreams…" It wasn't long before the young child had fallen asleep.

Kara grinned. "Either you bored her to sleep…"

"Shut up," he whispered.

Kara stifled a laugh as she rose from the bed with Lee. She swept the locks from Kacey's forehead, placing a kiss on her cheek and carefully pulled the curtain closed before joining Lee across the room, at the table. "Thank you," she said as she sat down next to him.

"For?"

"Being so good to her… she's been through so much and she adores you." Kara looked at Lee; a smile crept onto her face. "It means a lot to her… and me."

"I love spending time with her, she's amazing…"

"She is," she said reflectively as she glanced in the direction of Kacey's bunk.

"And you're amazing with her…" he added. "It means a lot to me to be here… with you, Kara."

Kara returned her attention to Lee.

"I know that things have been complicated for a long time…"

"Lee…" Kara wasn't completely certain where he was going with this but she felt her stomach tighten up in knots.

Lee turned his whole body to face Kara and he took her hands into his. "I have spent the last couple of months trying to figure this entire thing out." Lee lowered his head. "I keep coming back to one thing… you. Everything leads to you, Kara."

Kara tilted her head slightly as she watched him, uncertainty written across her face. He hadn't expressed interest in her romantically for a while.

"I've frakked up in the past and I don't blame you for being uncertain of how I feel about you," he admitted.

"I've frakked up too," she told him softly.

Lee cracked a smile, his eyes meeting hers.

"Kara… I miss you."

Kara lifted her hand, touching his cheek gently.

"I want to be a part of your life, a part of Kacey's… I want the whole package – the good, the bad. I want to make this work…"

Kara kept her eyes on his, biting her lower lip slightly. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation.

Kara slipped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"I love you," he whispered as he held her close.

Kara closed her eyes, losing herself in his embrace. "For keeps?"

"For keeps."


End file.
